Upcoming concerts Manda Djinn's background Manda Djinnn's CD's and recordings How to contact  Manda Djinn Coverage in the media related links Credit to those who help

Sharing Shakespeare
Sharing Shakespeare is a musical show built around songs composed by Manda Djinn based on texts by William Shakespeare. Manda took lines from various Shakespeare plays and poems and set them to music: jazz, blues, salsa, reggae, rap and other rhythms that translate the Bard into contemporary flavors. Dialogue and songs are presented by Manda Djinn as Troubadora, along with two other characters: Jester and Rapper.

Available to schools, literary clubs, anyone interested in reaching young audiences
Contact Manda


DOUBLE-TROUBLE - by Manda Djinn
(excerpt based on McBeth - Act IV Scene - the witches)

JESTER: In a forest in Scotland...

RAPPER: ...three skrungy hags...

TROUBADORA: ...better known as witches...

JESTER: ...are stirring up a mean stew. Along come Macbeth and his buddy, Banquo. Both of these dudes are generals in King Duncan's army, returning from putting down the Norwegian rebels warring with Duncan's forces.

RAPPER: Tell 'em who Duncan is, buddy.

JESTER: The king, of course.

TROUBADORA: Macbeth and Banquo spy the witches who stir up trouble when they forecast Macbeth's future as king.

JESTER: In fact, they salute him as Thane of Glamis and Thane of Cawdor and say he'll be king hereafter.

TROUBADORA: Macbeth is already the former but the latter, Thane of Cawdor, is news to him, and king hereafter is a bit far out.

RAPPER: This Lady Mac B. is acting more like a gangstah than a lady. But she's got Mac's career at heart, so she pushes him to chill this royal dude, Duncan...

JESTER: ...and some other people too.

TROUBADORA: Well, that's one way to climb the ladder of success, although it gets a bit bloody. In fact, so bloody that the lady can't get her hands clean and Mac dreams of ghosts and finally goes back to find the witches.

JESTER: ...who are stirring it up again and singing a mean song, something about...Double, double or double double ... or ...

TROUBADORA: Double Trouble...

Song

Troubadora:
ROUND ABOUT THE CAULDRON GO
IN THE POISONED ENTRAILS THROW
TOAD, THAT UNDER COLD STONE
DAYS AND NIGHTS HAS THIRTY-ONE
SWELTERED VENOM, SLEEPING GOT
BOIL THOU FIRST IN THE CHARMED POT

All:
DOUBLE, DOUBLE TOIL AND TROUBLE
FIRE BURN AND CAULDRON BUBBLE

Troubadora:
FIL LET OF A FUNNY SNAKE,
IN THE CAULDRON BOIL AND BAKE ;
EYE OF NEWT AND TOE OF FROG
WOOL OF BAT, AND TONGUE OF DOG
ADDER'S FORK, AND BLINDWORM'S STING,
LIZARD'S LEG AND HOWLET'S WING
FOR A CHARM OF POWERFUL TROUBLE
LIKE A HELL—BROTH
BOIL AND BUBBLE

All:
DOUBLE, DOUBLE TOIL AND TROUBLE
FIRE BURN AND CAULDRON BUBBLE

Troubadora:
SCALE OF DRAGON, TOOTH OF WOLF
WITCHES MUMMY; MAW AND GUF
OF THE RAVINED SALT — SEA SHARK
ROOT OF HEMLOCK DIGGED IN THE DARK
FINGER OF BIRTH STRANGLED BABE
DITCH DELIVERED BY A DRAB
MAKE THE GRUEL THICK AND SLAB
ADD THERE TO A TIGERÕS CHAUDRON
FOR THE INGREDIENTS OF OUR CAULDRON

All:
DOUBLE, DOUBLE TOIL AND TROUBLE
FIRE BURN AND CAULDRON BUBBLE

Troubadora:
BY THE PRICKING OF MY THUMBS
SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES!

An apparition plain as sunlight, warns Macbeth to beware of Macduff.

RAPPER: Those Macs are killers.

TROUBADORA: But they also say he will not be killed by man born of woman.

RAPPER: There's a catch here, right?

JESTER: Right, Rapper. Malcolm's not born of woman in the usual way but was pulled from her belly and therefore can fulfill the prophecy.

RAPPER: Who's Malcolm?

TROUBADORA: The future king, but Macbeth doesn't know it yet.

JESTER: Macduff's family is killed.

TROUBADORA: Through Macbeth's doing.

JESTER: And Lady Macbeth goes out of her head and Macbeth's head winds up in Macduff's hands. Malcolm is king. Hail Malcolm, king of Scotland!

 


Find out about another theater project:
THE GOSPEL TRUTH

home page | page d'accueil en français